Sony A9 versus Panasonic ZS200

The Sony Alpha A9 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 (labelled Panasonic TZ200 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively,
in April 2017 and February 2018. The A9 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the ZS200 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a full frame (A9) and an one-inch (ZS200) sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24 megapixel, whereas the Panasonic provides 20 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Sony A9 vs Panasonic ZS200

The physical size and weight of the Sony A9 and the Panasonic ZS200 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also toggle the display to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the A9 – represents the basis or 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Panasonic ZS200 is considerably smaller (41 percent) than the Sony A9. It is worth mentioning in this context that the A9 is splash and dust resistant,
while the ZS200 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the ZS200 has a lens build in,
whereas the A9 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can find an overview of optics for the A9 and their specifications in the Sony FE Lens Catalog.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left
arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and
make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

The camera’s price is obviously a critical decision-making factor. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The ZS200 was launched at a lower price than the A9, despite having a lens build in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison: Sony A9 vs Panasonic ZS200

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A9 features a full frame sensor and the Panasonic ZS200
an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the ZS200 is 86 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the A9 offers a higher
resolution than the ZS200 (20MP), but the A9 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of
5.94μm versus 2.41μm for the ZS200) due to its larger sensor. However, the ZS200 is a somewhat more recent model (by 9 months) than the A9, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The A9 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in relatively fast and reliable autofocus acquisition during video recording.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison: Sony A9 vs Panasonic ZS200

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder.
However, the one in the A9 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the ZS200 (3686k vs 2330k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A9, the Panasonic ZS200, and comparable cameras. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The ZS200 has one, while the A9 does not.
While the build-in flash of the ZS200 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed and shutter burst refer to the use of the mechanical shutter. In addition, both cameras feature
an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (flickering).

The A9 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the ZS200 uses SDXC cards. The A9 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the ZS200
only has one slot.

Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.

More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in April 2017).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200:

Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the A9 necessitates an extra lens.

More compact: Is smaller (111x65mm vs 127x96mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.

Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens build in (unlike the A9).

Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.

More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a build-in lens.

More modern: Was introduced somewhat (9 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A9 is the clear winner of the match-up (21 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision.

A9 21:06 ZS200

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the A9 and the ZS200 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

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